A Walk on the Beach; Letting Go of Negative Emotions & Allowing Yourself to Be Calm.

Riding the Waves Painting by Addie Hirschten

My family and I were fortunate enough to have a recent trip to the beach. The Atlantic Ocean, in particular, is a place of deep connection and nurturing for me. It is my happy place. One morning, I arose early and left my sleeping family to head to the beach to take in the sunrise. We were staying at a place that was about a 30-minute drive away. On my way there, I had to stop at a gas station to fill a tire with air. Instead of being at the beach by sunrise, I drove with the sun rising in my eyes. When I arrived, I settled in for a walk. I noticed my mind was quite unsettled. Instead of feeling super happy and grateful for the beautiful morning, I was dusting off the stress of trying to get there, my unmet expectations of being able to experience the sunrise on the beach, and some heaviness on my heart from other external life stressors. My mental, emotional, and energetic state was interfering with my ability to feel the bliss of the moment. I had brought my yoga mat with me. I found a level spot, and practiced yoga, and meditated.

After meditating, I realized there were some things that I was holding on to that I needed to release. I found a broken shell that served as a writing tool in the sand. I wrote the emotions I wanted to let go of: Anger, Sadness, Grief, Frustration, Disappointment, Fear, Uncertainty, and Confusion. I then wrote what I wanted to call in: Love, Support, Gratitude, Trust, Surrender. I watched the waves come closer and closer to the words that I had written. The tide was coming in and soon the words would be taken away, What would remain would be a clean slate paving the way for me to feel more like myself again. In this calm place of connection with myself, this poem emerged:

Be peace, love, serenity

In the calm, in the chaos, I can be.

Loving what is and not what is not

Loving the things that have my heart tied in a knot.

Uncertainty, fear, lack, & strife

Do not define me or my life.

For I am all things and I am none.

Both can be true when connected to the One.

The One that sustains us and connects us to all.

The One who challenges us and catches us when we fall.

Love what is and not what is not.

Your life is divine or have you forgot?

When you find yourself tied into a knot, it’s okay to unwind and let go. Find a quiet place, and take some deep breaths. Notice what is present. Write it out. Say it aloud. Let it go and see what emerges. We are not meant to hold on to things so tightly.